Flue gas washer with a supporting construction for spray pipes

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a flue gas washer comprising a supporting construction for spray pipes used to clean at least one horizontally arranged droplet separator system. Each droplet separator system comprises droplet separator packets which are mounted on carriers. The supporting construction for the spray pipes is arranged adjacent to or between the droplet separator packets. As a result, inspection and cleaning of the separator systems can be improved significantly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the US national phase of PCT applicationPCT/DE2002/003776, filed 5 Oct. 2002, published 22 Apr. 2004 as WO2004/033071, and claiming the priority of PCT patent applicationPCT/DE2002/003776 itself filed 5 Oct. 2002, whose entire disclosures areherewith incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a flue gas washer with a supportstructure for spray pipes for cleaning at least one horizontallydisposed droplet separator system which is formed by droplet separatorpacks which are supported on supports.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Normally, flue gas washers have at least one coarse separator stage andone fine separator stage which are disposed one above the other on arespective support system with a vertical spacing that allows a manualinspection between the two separator stages. Each separator stageconsists of a plurality of identical separator members which are dropletseparator packs formed by individual droplet separator lamellae.

Such droplet separator systems have to be periodically cleaned sincethey contaminate with continuous use. For this, one has incorporatedspray pipes into the flue gas washers normally above, below and betweenthe individual droplet separator systems so that they can be sprayedwith an appropriate cleaning medium (water) on both sides for cleaningpurposes. The spray pipes are carried by support structures which assurea uniform distribution of the spray pipes over the cross-section of theflue gas washer.

It is known to dispose the support structures for the spray pipes at thesupports on which the droplet separator packs are supported. Forinstance, these support structures are defined by posts extendingupwardly and downwardly from the supports and supporting correspondingsupporting frames on which the spray pipes are disposed.

Such systems have to be inspected and cleaned periodically in order tomaintain the operability of the spray pipes. However, inspections can becarried out only in a difficult manner with such systems since thesupport structure for the spray pipes consisting of the posts arrangedat the supports and the supporting frame for the spray pipes hindersaccess which has to be carried out near the supports. Accordingly,inspections, especially cleaning processes, which have to be carried outat a point of time necessarily can be carried out only with moredifficult circumstances with such systems.

The above-cited difficulties exist always if the support structure forthe spray pipes is disposed at the supports for the droplet separatorsystems since in this manner the space above and below the supports isoccupied by the posts and the supporting frames crossing the supports.In many cases these supporting frames are also connected to the washerwall itself so that in this area access is made more difficult also.

Accordingly, in order to arrange the spray pipes in flue gas washerstheir support structures have to be mounted at the supports for thedroplet separator systems and thus at the washer itself. This means anadditional effort for the manufacturer of the washer since same has tosupply a thoroughly adjusted embodiment with an exact size which has tobe considered critically, especially if the support systems have ananti-corrosion coating, for instance a rubber coating.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a flue gas washerof the cited kind which can be inspected in an especially simple manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention this object is achieved with a flue gaswasher of the cited kind by the feature that the support structure forthe spray pipes is disposed at or between the droplet separator packs.

The decisive difference of the inventive solution with respect to theabove-cited prior art consists in the feature that the support structurefor the spray pipes is not directly connected to the construction of theflue gas washer, for instance the supports thereof, but is ratherdisposed at or between the droplet separator packs and is also installedtogether with same. This has the advantage that the manufacturer of theflue gas washer does not have to take into consideration the mounting ofthe support structure for the spray pipes or provide his system withsuch a support structure but that the support structure can be providedwith the spray pipes when the droplet separator system or dropletseparator systems are installed. Accordingly, the support structureforms a component of the separator system.

The space above and below the supports for the supporting of the dropletseparator packs is kept free by the inventive shifting of the supportstructure to the separator system and the mounting of same at or betweenthe individual droplet separator members or droplet separator packs.Accordingly, the support structure is shifted to the space between thesupports whereby access passages for inspection purposes are providedabove and below the supports which are not interrupted by posts orsupport elements running in transverse direction. The height of theseaccess passages is determined by the distance between the supportingsystems for the droplet separator systems.

The supports, which are supported on the individual separator packswhich form the separator systems, are normally double-T-beams (H-beams)or hollow profiles on the upper flanges of which the individualseparator packs are located. According to the prior art the spacebetween adjacent separator packs was used for mounting the verticalposts so that the space above the supports could no more be traveled.According to the invention now the support structure is shifted awayfrom the support to the left and to the right so far that a sufficientlylarge free space is formed in the space above and below the supportwhich enables access to the system for inspection purposes. The supportstructure is carried by the separator packs themselves or is disposedbetween same (if a plurality of separator packs are arranged betweenadjacent supports) so that, in the last cited case, they are carried bythe separator system consisting of the plurality of separator packs. Ofcourse, the separator packs are formed or connected to one another insuch a manner that they can carry the support structure.

With such embodiments according to which the support structure for thespray pipes is disposed at the droplet separator packs preferably thedroplet separator packs have reinforced end portions for the carryingthe support structure. These reinforced end portions do not have toextend over the whole width of the droplet separator packs but can formonly a part thereof. Preferably, the reinforced end portions are formedin a box-like manner.

According to this embodiment the reinforced end portions areappropriately penetrated by at least one rod-like post wherein the post,which is provided for the support structure of the spray pipes, canextend on one side or on both sides upwardly and/or downwardly out ofthe reinforced end portions (boxlike portions) of the droplet separatorpacks.

Preferably, the support structure for the spray pipes is formed by aspray pipe carrying member by means of which a plurality of posts,especially two, are connected to one another. So, for instance, adroplet separator pack with reinforced end portions can be providedbetween two adjacent supports wherein both reinforced end portions arepenetrated by a respective post which extends upwardly and downwardlyand wherein the two posts are connected by a carrying member above andbelow on which, for instance, two spray pipes are disposed which extendparallel with respect to the supports. Of course, the posts are fixed atthe reinforced end portions of the droplet separator packs so that, onthe whole, a stable good bearing formation is generated.

According to another embodiment the rod-like posts consist of severalparts and have a connecting point outside of the reinforced end portion.Here, for instance, a post extends through the reinforced (box-like) endportion and serves as holding device for further posts extendingdownwardly and/or upwardly and holding the carrying members for thespray pipes. For instance, the posts can be screwed with one another.

If possible, one can also desist from the post penetrating thereinforced end portions so that the posts are fastened only at theoutside of the reinforced (box-like) end portions, for instance throughflanges which are provided there.

According to still another embodiment the reinforced end portions areformed in such a manner that rod-like posts can be inserted into same.Here the reinforced (box-like) end portion has a slot at the upper side,for example, through which the post is inserted. In its interior the endportion has an appropriate reception device for the post.

Preferably, the posts are formed in a rod-like manner, i.e. they have nogreat extension in the direction parallel with respect to the supports.For this suitable flat profiles can be used. The small extension in thedirection parallel with respect to the supports has the advantage thatan inspection of the separator packs is possible from the accesspassages above and below the supports.

Preferably, the separator packs are provided with the reinforced endportions directly by the manufacturer so that a one-part formationresults. However, it is not excluded that the reinforced end portionsare mounted to the separator packs by means of removable ornot-removable connections.

Of course, not all the droplet separator packs have to be provided withreinforced end portions. If, for instance, three or more separator packsare disposed between adjacent supports only the two packs adjacent tothe supports can be reinforced at their end portions adjacent to thesupports while the central pack is formed normally and the two centralend portions of the two outer packs are not reinforced either. It isessential that only those separator packs carrying the support structurefor the spray pipes have reinforced end portions or only one reinforcedend portion.

It was already mentioned that the reinforced end portions preferablyextend only over a part of the width of the separator packs. So, sameare preferably centrally disposed with respect to the width of the packswhile normal lamellae of the separator pack are disposed on both sidesof the reinforced (box-like) portion. Accordingly, the reinforced endportions form a reinforced or stiffened core suitable for carrying thesupport structure.

According to another embodiment of the invention the support structureis formed by posts which are disposed between adjacent droplet separatorpacks respectively. This embodiment is used if between two adjacentsupports two or more droplet separator packs are provided which areconnected with one another by means of suitable connection means, forinstance flange connections. According to the invention here the post isdisposed at the connection point between two droplet separator packs andis connected to the adjacent packs so that same commonly carry the post.Of course, it is also possible according to the invention to provide twoshort droplet separator packs instead of one long pack and to install apost at the connection point between same.

Preferably, the posts are connected to the separator packs by means offlange connections.

According to this embodiment the vertical posts carry the spray pipespreferably directly. However this does not exclude that also in thiscase carrying members on which the spray pipes are disposed can beprovided between posts.

Also in this embodiment the posts are formed in a rod-like manner orhave the shape of a slim plate. They can be adapted to the lamellarshape of the packs in the space between the adjacent separator packs,for instance not formed rectilinearly in this space but adapted to theangular or curve-like course of the lamellae.

According to the last cited embodiment normally a reinforcement of theend portions of the droplet separator packs is not necessary. However,such a reinforcement at the end portions between which a post isdisposed is not excluded.

Generally, stable and flexible materials, as for instance special steelbut also plastics, as glass-reinforced plastics, are used as materialsfor the support structure. Even the spray pipes can consist ofglass-reinforced plastics. In this case one can work with especiallylarge supporting distances which, for instance, are three times largerthan with polypropylene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the following the invention is described by means of examples inconnection with the drawing in detail. Of the drawing

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a part of a flue gas washer;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a part of the flue gas washer of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 shows a top view on a part of the flue gas washer of FIGS. 1 and2 in a reduced scale;

FIG. 4 shows a view of a part of the flue gas washer along line C-D inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows details of the flue gas washer of the preceding figureswith other embodiments of the support structure for the spray pipes;

FIGS. 6 a, b and c show a top view, a side view and a sectional viewalong line A-B in FIG. 6 a of a droplet separator pack;

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a support structure for spray pipesof a flue gas washer in a side view; and

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 7 in a view turned around 90°.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a part of a flue gas washer 1which is formed as a standing cylinder. The flow direction of the fluegases is indicated by arrows and extends in FIG. 1 from below to above.In the flue gas washer 1 a lower coarse separator system 4 and an upperfine separator system 3 are disposed which consist of individual dropletseparator packs 15. Each droplet separator pack 15 is supported with itsend on two supports 2 which extend over the cross-section of the fluegas washer.

Each droplet separator pack 15 consists of a plurality of dropletseparator lamellae disposed parallel with respect to another andtraversed by the flue gas flow and deflecting the flow of the flue gasflow in order to cause a separation of the entrained droplets in thismanner. Such droplet separators are known and do not form part of thepresent invention.

Each droplet separator pack 15 has in its end portions reinforcedbox-like portions 6 with which the pack 15 lies on the supports 2. Thesereinforced end portions 6 carry a support structure 7 for spray pipesextending parallel with respect to the supports 2 and serving forcleaning of the droplet separator systems. The corresponding sprayingcones are shown on the left upper side of FIG. 1. The spray pipes 8 aredisposed above and below the separator systems 3 and 4 so that theseparator packs 15 are cleaned from above and from below.

The support structure 7 has vertical rod-like posts 9 extending throughthe box-like reinforced end portions 6 and anchored in same inward ofthe supports 2. Accordingly, these rod-like posts 9 extend upwardly anddownwardly from the reinforced end portions 6 and carry at their endsspray pipe carrying elements 10 connecting two posts 9 with one another.

FIG. 2 shows the exact design of the support structure for the spraypipes 8. One recognizes that the fine separator system 3 consists of adroplet separator pack 15 lying on two double-T-beams (H-beams) 2. Morespecifically, the droplet separator pack 15 has two reinforced box-likeend portions 6 that bear on the supports. Furthermore, these reinforcedend portions 6 serve for the anchoring of respective vertical posts 9extending upwardly and downwardly from the separator system and providedat their end portions with spray pipe carrying elements 10. As shown inFIG. 2, two spray pipes 8 are located on each spray pipe carryingelement 10.

Furthermore, one recognizes from FIG. 2 that access passages 11 forinspections etc. are formed above and below the supports 2 which can betraveled by a service person for inspection purposes etc. Since theposts 9 extend only over a relatively short distance in the directionperpendicular to the view plane inspection of the separator systems 3, 4from the access passages 11 is possible.

FIG. 3 shows a top view on about a quarter of the cross-section of theflue gas washer 1. One recognizes the access passages 11 formed over thesupports 2 which are shown hatched. The spray pipes 8 are locatedbetween the supports 2 and are supported on the carrying elements 10,two spray pipes 8 being disposed between two supports 2.

FIG. 4 shows a view of the support structure 7 for the spray pipes 8 ina position turned around 90° with respect to the view of FIG. 2. Onerecognizes that the vertical posts 9 extend only over a short distanceparallel to the plane of the drawing so that they can be anchored in thereinforced box-like portions 6 which are centrally disposed in the endportions of each droplet separator pack 15. It is shown with thisembodiment that the separator system 3 consists of a plurality ofseparator packs 15 of which only several are provided with thereinforced end portions. The remaining packs 15 which do not take over acarrying function for the support structure are formed as normalseparator packs 15. The nozzles disposed at the spray pipes 8 are shownat 12 and are spaced from one another in such a manner that theirspraying cones overlap so that the whole area of the separator packs 15can be cleaned. The individual lamellae of the separator packs 15 areindicated at 13.

FIG. 5 shows two different variants for fastening the posts 9 in thebox-like reinforced end portions 6 of the separator packs 15. Accordingto the left variant one member 9 extends through the reinforced endportion 6 and is welded to same. The post 9 extending through thereinforced end portion 6 forms outside of the reinforced end portion 6an upper and a lower fastening flange to which two additional posts 9are screwed and extend upwardly and downwardly and include the carryingelements 10 for supporting the spray pipes 8.

According to the right variant of FIG. 5 one post 9 is inserted into thereinforced box-like end portion 6 and is fixed in same in an appropriateholding construction 14. It extends through a slot on the upper side ofthe end portion 6 upwardly.

FIG. 6 a shows a top view of a separator pack 15. This is indicated at 3and has the reinforced box-like end portions 6 in the center of its endportions. FIG. 6 b shows a reinforced box-like end portion 6 in sideview with inserted post 9. FIG. 6 c shows a side view turned 90°.

FIG. 7 shows a support structure according to which rod-like posts 16are not disposed at the separator packs 15 but between same. Therod-like posts 16 carry the spray pipes 8 by means of brackets 17, andcorresponding nozzles 12 are mounted on the spray pipes.

One recognizes in FIG. 8 that the posts 16 extend only slightlyperpendicular to the axis of the supports 2 so that also in this case alarge free space is available between the posts 16 for inspectionpurposes. The area above the supports 2 can be traveled. The fasteningof the posts 16 between the separator packs 15 is realized by means ofappropriate flange connections which are indicated at 18.

1. In a flue-gas washer having horizontally spaced supports, an assemblycomprising: a horizontally extending droplet-separator pack having endsbearing on the supports; posts fixed in and extending upward anddownward from the pack inward of the supports and forming clear accesspassages above the supports between the posts; and horizontal spraypipes supported on the posts above and below the packs.
 2. The flue gaswasher according to claim 1 wherein the droplet separator packs havereinforced end portions for the arrangement of the support structure. 3.The flue gas washer according to claim 2 wherein the reinforced endportions are formed in a box-like manner.
 4. The flue gas washeraccording to claim 2 wherein the reinforced end portions are penetratedby at least one rod-like post.
 5. The flue gas washer according to claim4, characterized in that a plurality of rod-like posts are connectedwith one another by a spray pipe carrying element.
 6. The flue gaswasher according to claim 4 wherein the rod-like posts consist ofseveral parts and have a connection point outside of the reinforced endportions.
 7. The flue gas washer according to claim 4 wherein onerod-like post or a plurality thereof extend upwardly and downwardly fromthe reinforced end portion.
 8. The flue gas washer according to claim 4wherein a rod-like post is insertable into a reinforced end portion. 9.The flue gas washer according to claim 1 wherein the support structureis formed by posts which are disposed between adjacent droplet separatorpacks, respectively.
 10. The flue gas washer according to claim 9wherein the posts are connected to the separator packs through flangeconnections.
 11. The flue gas washer according to claim 9 wherein theposts carry the spray pipes directly.
 12. A support structure for use ina flue gas washer according to claim
 1. 13. The assembly defined inclaim 1 wherein each such pack has a pair of the posts extending upwardand a pair of the posts extending downward and each pair of postscarries a respective one of the horizontal spray pipes.
 14. The assemblydefined in claim 1 wherein the posts are rods fixed to the pack.
 15. Theassembly defined in claim 1 wherein the pack ends are reinforced andbox-shaped.
 16. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein each upper postis aligned vertically with and formed unitarily with the respectivelower post from a single vertical rod centrally fixed in the respectivepack end.
 17. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein each pack isformed by a plurality of generally vertically extending and horizontallyspaced lamellae.
 18. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein each posthas an inner end fixed to the respective pack end and an opposite outerend, the assembly further comprising: respective carrying elements onthe outer ends holding the spray pipes.